There’s a moment that strikes fear into the hearts of homeowners when temperatures have plummeted. That’s the moment when someone turns a faucet handle and no water comes out. Frozen pipes can lead to very expensive plumbing bills along with a giant mess. Making sure that the solution is resolved before pipes break is essential. If people living in the building have no easy way to accomplish this project, Frozen Pipe Thaw Out in Ferndale WA can be taken care of by a plumber.
Often, plumbing pipes that freeze are situated in an unheated crawl space. Heat ducts typically run through the crawl space alongside the plumbing pipes, which usually keeps the area at least minimally above freezing, but that may not be enough during bitterly cold weather. It’s important not to only heat with a wood or pellet stove and shut the furnace off if the crawl space needs heat running through the ducts to prevent freezing pipes.
Homeowners can insulate the pipes with foam, but even that isn’t always enough to prevent freezing on exceptionally cold days. There are other options, such as adhering heat tape to the pipes or having a heating contractor install a vent in the crawlspace that someone can open before temperatures plunge. Leaving a little water running continuously also prevents pipes from freezing, but that can drive up utility bills. After the first episode with a frozen pipe, it’s important to choose a way to prevent this in the future.
Those considerations don’t help when dealing with the immediate problem, however. For Frozen Pipe Thaw Out in Ferndale WA, a plumber from a company such as Bode’s Electric & Plumbing might set up a small space heater in the crawl space or even use a hair dryer. People in the house might be able to do this as well, but it may be difficult to access the pipes, and nobody may want to crawl around in a crawl space, especially when temperatures are so cold. If the pipes are metal, the plumber can use specialized electric thawing equipment. For assistance with this problem, homeowners may start with the website Bodeselectric.com or their Facebook page.
